Pop Century Two Rooms Standard vs All Stars Music Family Suite

[TexasTSL]

I booked a family suite at AS Music for myself, DS11, DS33, DDNL 33 and DGS 18months for one week, but now that I have thought about the Skyliner at Pop, I’m thinking that might be nice too, and we could book two rooms. The price is about 800 more at Pop. I did want to be close to the food and bus stops, but standard is all that’s available. We will be going for a week the last week of May/first week of June. Is the Skyliner worth the extra money and also considering we will be standard and maybe further from food court and transportation? Also, we want connecting or at least adjoining rooms. Music would be a guarantee we are all together and near food/transportation. Thoughts?

 

[DaniPoppins]

That's a tough one! If it were me, I would choose Pop. I love the resort and the food court is really good. You can also take a quick walk over the bridge and go to the AoA food court, which is also really good. The Skyliner is a game changer for me! Being able to hop on to get to 2 parks is amazing! Not to mention that the Skyliner is super fun to ride! The All Stars often share buses. Pop will always have a dedicated bus, and when we have stayed there, the bus service has been excellent.

The family suite will have a kitchenette with a full size fridge and there is a decent sized table with 4 chairs, which is nice. You won't have that at Pop.

We have asked for connecting rooms many times over the years and have always received them. Yes, there is a possibility that you won't, but there is a very good chance you will.

The extra $800 definitely makes this decision tougher! Is being at a Skyliner resort worth it??? Whatever you decide, have a wonderful time! Sounds like it will be an amazing family trip!

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

The ASMusic suites are in the preferred section and really close to amenities. You would also have a kitchenette with a full size fridge and, like you mentioned, guaranteed that you would all be together which I am assuming has been discussed and your son and dnl are good with. It would be a hard sell to me to switch to Pop standard, pay $800 more and hope we get rooms together. We have stayed in both (pre skyliner) and have enjoyed both equally. Of course, everyone's "worth it" is different and only you can decide if riding the skyliner to two parks and perhaps a few resorts is worth $800 (and more if you manage to get and choose preferred). For us it would not be. Have a fantastic trip whatever you decide

 

[Pyxie]

In this case, I'd go Pop, but I'm also thinking of this from your son and DIL's perspective. I'd probably prefer my own room for my family over sharing a suite.

 

[TexasTSL]

My son, dnl and gs live right across the street from us. We’re pretty close. Believe me, from my own perspective I think I may want to be separate too! Lol!! I thought they may prefer their own room, as well! My dnl said she thought the fridge would be nice for their baby. Plus there is a door separating their room and bathroom from where me and my other son would be. Still, maybe my dnl is just being polite. Lol!!

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I struggle with booking an ASMu family suites for my own family for the lack of skyliner compared to POP or other amenities at other resorts. The suites do look really nice and having two bathrooms for a family with teenager girls is a major pro for us but we prefer walkable/skyliner resorts so we usually go with the other options and have yet to stay in a suite. I would think either could work well given traveling with a baby for naps as you would have some separate space but it might be nicer for all the adults to have the suite so you can put the baby in the king room and shut the door and have kitchen/main room access during the day or even at night. Napping with a baby in a hotel room is not ideal. I'm really close with my MIL and wouldn't hesitate to do either of these set ups when my kids were babies. The only real tangible benefit of POP with a baby is skyliner access for the stroller. If you won't be at DHS/EP often, I would stick with ASMu since you won't be on the skyliner much.

 

[Skippyboo]

Did you check availability and price for AoA suites? The Skyliner is super nice for easy access to Epcot and HS. Plus you can wheel the stroller w the baby straight onto it without taking the child out and having to fold up the stroller like you do with buses. Pop is pretty compact so it isn’t super far to main hall or Skyliner station.

 

[bluezy]

Personally, I'd do 2 rooms at Pop Century. We've always gotten connecting rooms there when we requested them, but there is no guarantee and I've seen numerous posts of people *not* getting connecting rooms even though they were requested. In your situation, I'd prefer 2 separate rooms and if they're not connecting, no big deal since it's 2 families. We've stayed in a suite at AoA (haven't done the suites at ASMu) and I know there's no way I would want to share that space with another family -- including my son, DIL, and their 2 children. I love spending time with my grandchildren (I babysit them one day a week), but I want my own space at the end of a long day. We have traveled to Disney with our adult kids and we try to stay at the same resort (AoA) or they will sometimes stay at Pop while we're at AoA. If DH & I watch the grandkids one night during our stay, our son just stops at the front desk of his resort and gets a card key for us to use for their room door. Not sure if that's a concern for you and possibly a reason you'd like a suite or connecting rooms. And I'll add that not having to empty and fold up the stroller every time we come & go from DHS and EP would be totally worth the $800 for me. And another bonus is that at the end of the day, you can hop on either the Pop or AoA bus -- whichever has the shortest line or comes first. It's a nice walk between the resorts and AoA is gorgeous at night. I suppose the full-size fridge with freezer might be nice, but we've never needed more than the small counter-height fridge in the suites (and the beverage cooler/fridge in the Pop Century rooms is a similar size -- and you'd have 2 of them since you'd have 2 rooms). We bring a lot of snacks and water (we drive to DW), but we've still never filled the fridge even with 6 people in the suite. YMMV.

 

[Disneylover99]

If you’re leaning towards Pop, there are plenty of excellent standard room locations. Some better than preferred. The 60’s is a great area to request. It’s close to the main building and transportation.

 

[loves to dive]

I'd stick with the suite, you can't beat 2 bathrooms and a semi-kitchen especially with a baby. I'm also cheap and I could do a whole lot more with the $800 savings. I'm one of the few people on the boards who is not a fan of the sky liner so that would actually rule out Pop for me even if it was less. There are too many variables that can come into play with it, if their are thunder storms in the area, it is going to shut down with no warning. If you hit it at the wrong time you are going to have to stand in line at the transfer station. I actually prefer the buses but I know most people here love the sky liner.

 

[amw]

I'd stick with the suite, you can't beat 2 bathrooms and a semi-kitchen especially with a baby. I'm also cheap and I could do a whole lot more with the $800 savings. I'm one of the few people on the boards who is not a fan of the sky liner so that would actually rule out Pop for me even if it was less. There are too many variables that can come into play with it, if there vare thunder storms in the area, it is going to shut down with no warning. If you hit it at the wrong time you are going to have to stand in line at the transfer station. I actually prefer the buses but I know most people here love the sky liner.

I’ve actually had this happen while visiting a resort on the skyliner. I was staying in boardwalk area. Storms shut it down. CMs at those resorts didn’t seem to know protocol. … long waits for full buses that just drove by… people had to Uber back to their resorts. Nope. I go out of my way to NOT stay at a skyliner resort!

We were non-value resort snobs until my daughter was working as cultural rep at WDW last summer, and we visited her and did a quick stay at ASMovies. We ended up really enjoying the stay and found the buses way more reliable then any deluxes. That trip had both DDs and their boyfriends so she booked 3 rooms with her CM discount. This year it’s just the immediate family, and my DDs said they would prefer to stay at the all stars again! We will be staying in a family suite this time. The renovations with queen pull-downs met our needs!

 

[Mle8308]

Like another poster suggested, look into a Family Suite at Art of Animation, then you would also have Skyliner access. And if you have a Disney Visa, there is a 25% off discount for rooms at Pop during your stay. Movies, too. AoA is also included, but not the Family Suites. I love the Skyliner.

 

[PHXscuba]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this but 2 rooms at Pop have a total of 4 beds, the family suite only has 3. If you and your younger son are planning to share the queen bed in the family suite that could make a diffrence. Plus that bedroom is pretty small since they lopped off part of that side's space for the kitchenette. But that kitchenette sure is nice.

Also, if you will be coming and going at different times, there is only one exit through the main room of the family suite.

PHXscuba

 

[bluezy]

Like another poster suggested, look into a Family Suite at Art of Animation, then you would also have Skyliner access. And if you have a Disney Visa, there is a 25% off discount for rooms at Pop during your stay. Movies, too. AoA is also included, but not the Family Suites. I love the Skyliner.

I was pricing out trips with the Disney Visa discount last night and the AoA suites were definitely included -- and were a 30% discount.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/disney-visa-summer-2023-room-offer/

 

[lampshadehead]

Suite. You will get a microwave. And JMO, skyliner isn't with $800.00 (half that, $400.00, would probably make me lean to POP)

 

[Mle8308]

I was pricing out trips with the Disney Visa discount last night and the AoA suites were definitely included -- and were a 30% discount.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/disney-visa-summer-2023-room-offer/

You are right! I missed that, even better!